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ON THE GREAT RIVER ROAD
Newsletter of the City of Otsego Vol. 7, No. 4, December 1997
City hires
administrator
Mike Robertson became Otsego's
interim city administrator November,
10. His contract is for nine months or
1,500 hours of work. i..
The Otsego City Council has asked ,
Robertson to evaluate the way the city f
is currently doing business to
determine if it is the most efficient and
cost effective way. It also expects that
he will manage the coming new sewer
and water services. In the future. t.
Robertson sees himself working with
the Economic Development Authority ,
e, .40011
on economic development and
promotion for the city. s
Robertson lives in Stillwater with his
wife. He had been working as city
administrator of Oak Park Heights for Otsego City Administrator Mike Robertson.
three years.He grew up in Minneapolis
and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts f 1
in Geography from the University of \�
Minnesota in 1980. He earned his �(\� `�' ��
masters degree in Urban and Regional
1--(--<k-:..-.. _
Studies from Mankato State University J
in 1990. He also worked as the city Rules for Snowmobiles Rules for Property Owners
administrator of Isanti for four and a In platted areas: •Fences,buildings, or any structure
half years. •10 miles per hour is prohibited within the limits of the
Robertson say he's "excited to be •No unnecessary noise which dis- road. The public right-of-way along
working for the city. I've already turbs others. most city roads is 33 feet from the
enjoyed working with the staff for the
•8 a.m. - 11 p.m. Mon.to Thur. center and includes the ditches and
short time I've been here." •8 a.m.- 1 a.m. Fri. Sat.,day before all utilities. Violation of this Minne-
Robertson's office hours are national holiday. sota law is a misdemeanor.
generally 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday •Stay 300 feet from residential areas •Snowmobiles may use road right-of
through Thursday He will also be
attending commission and council except when traveling between a ways for travel subject to restric-
meetings intermittently..M/ residence and a designated trail. tions on speed,noise, and hours of
lie AAA. •No use of public grounds(i.e. park, operation in platted areas as out-
I VI* school). lined in city ordinance.
City Hall * In general:
•No travel on boulevards or walk-
Holiday Closings ways. Otsego's recreational motor vehicle
Closed December 24 and 25 •Stay 100 feet from pedestrians,skat- cofo odinance is designed for the safety and
in rinks, comfort of pedestrians and residents as
Closing 4:00 p.m. December 31 $ and sliding areas. well as snowmobile operators.......,
Closed January 1 and 19 •Stay off private property unless
there is permission from the prop-
erty owner.
lild' Issidialld' ilii
City of Otsego
11,- ,, ) - -) .7 - s Snow and sewer
8899 Nashua Ave. NE ; The city council has held the required public
Otsego, MN 55330 hearings on the sewer and water project. We
(612) 441-4414 have selected a site for the waste water
Fax (612) 441-8823 NOTEStreatment plant on Countyroad 36 adjacent to
J
the Crow River. The city has sent the
OFFICE HOURS_(Effective4/14/97) frOIn the Wastewater Treatment facilities Plan to the
Monday through Thursday
Minnesota pollution Control Agency and we a.m.to 6:00 p.m.
Closed Fridays are requesting a discharge to the Crow River.
CITY COUNCIL MAYOR, All of the information to date shows that the
Mayor IMIMINNIIIII project is economically feasible. It will be paid
Larry Fournier
Councilmembers by Mayor Larry Fournier for by new development. Our goals are to
Suzanne M.S.Ackerman44.; -__ _-,40m broaden the tax base and be prepared for any
Mark Berning - emergency which may come along.
Vern Heidner As the winter season begins in Otsego, 1 encourage everyone to keep an eye open for
Virginia Wendel the public works department as they plow the snow from our streets. Plows will be out
CITY STAFF
Elaine Beatty,City Clerk/Zoning doing their job as soon as the snow fall ends.wv
Administrator
Mike Robertson,City Administrator
Judy Hudson,Deputy Clerk/Treasurer
Carol Olson,Secretary
Dave Chase,Maintenance Supervisor
Brad Kelash,Maintenance
Rick Knutson,Maintenance
PLANNING&ZONING
Carl Swenson,chair li
Eugene Goenner a `►
Jim Kolles
Arleen Nagel z
Richard Nichols
Bruce Rask p
I.G.Roskaft `
William Jones,alternate
PARKS&RECREATION �'
Jeff Bartheld,chair ;, ' ' I tvf r: a
Thomas Baillargeon
Tom Constant
Teri Kohler . ,
It
Sue Kroll • gi
Roche Martin " , ;
Darlene Solberg i °F �
Bill Olson,second alternate
EDA ADVISORY ) �
LeRoy Lindenfelser,chair
Gabriel Davis
Rudy Thibodeau - f
Wally Odell
Vincent Peterson
Liz Wilder Riverside Pizza owner Shane Lane invites Otsego residents to stop in.
HERITAGE PRESERVATION
Joy Swenson,chair
Ron Black Not just pizza
Janet Bridgland
Frieda Lobeck Riverside Pizza is"the quickest delivery between 194 and Highway 10,"according to
Joan Nichols owner-manager Shane Lane.
Elaine Norin Besides pizzas and pizza by the slice, Riverside serves broasted chicken pieces,
Norman Schwanbeck assorted sandwiches, side orders of mozzarella sticks ala enopoppers, garlic bread,
Arlene Nolen,alternate >J P
cheese bread,and jojos.Chicken wings are available in various varieties,too. Sandwich
OTS GO`]�'� baskets include a cookie, chips, and pickle.
.,��VIEW The fast food business opened in June at a location inside the F & F Foodmart, a
The Otsegobiea isacommunity newsletter tor convenient stop on the way home from work for many Otsego residents.
the city of Otsego. No time to stop?Lane offers delivery all of their tasty cuisine to anywhere in Otsego,
Jacquie Rognii,Editor Rogers,Dayton,and Elk River.Call Riverside Pizza at 241-1855 11:00 a.m.to 11:00 p.m.
Correspondence should be sent to
Otsego city Hal. Monday through Saturday and noon to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
44 Contains 50%recycled
pre-consumer material. 2
i
Belinda - Pioneer Woman
by Elaine Norin 0 a
The oldest census record of Otsego is dated 1855,just three
years after the first settlers arrived.At that time it was known
as Pheasant Grove Precinct. The name became Otsego ■ ■
Township when Minnesota attained statehood in 1858. There
were 212 inhabitants counted: 139 males and 73 females.the ighlights
only names listed are "Heads of Families" followed by the
number of males,females,and total in family.The only female
listed as head of a family is Belinda Spencer - 2, 2, 4. This Lewis and Climena had three children between 1857 and 1864.
prompted some curiosity.Who was Belinda?Did her husband Belinda's oldest child, Emaline, married Joseph Davis in
die on the way from Maine to Minnesota?Why would a woman 1853.They are not listed in the Otsego census until 1865.They
bring her family to this unsettled area in the Big Woods? may have lived in Sherburne County near Joseph's family.
Some answers were found after much research. Belinda They had 13 children between 1854 and 1875. Belinda's son
Marsh was born November 29,1809 in Maine and was married Charles married Mary Elizabeth"Libbie"Slater Richardson in
to Ephraim Spencer in 1834. She is listed in the 1850 census 1865.They had seven children.Son Martin married Josephine
for Bradley Township, Penobscot County, Maine as age 40 Lacard in 1882. They had three children. Belinda had 26
with children Emeline age 15, Charles age 9,Clemena age 7, grandchildren.
and Ephraim M. (later known as Martin E.) age 2. Belinda's At present, many of her descendants are living in or near
husband is believed to have died between 1847 and 1850. Otsego. Florence(Millhouse) Davis and her son Kenneth are
Belinda's sister,Zilpah Marsh,married John McDonald in granddaughter and great grandson of Emaline and Joseph.
1841.John was born in Maine in 1806. He first married Mary Shirley Spencer and her son Robert are granddaughter and
Inman in 1828. She bore his children, John Jr. 1830, Lewis great grandson of Charles and Libbie.Norman Schwanbeck is
1833, Francis 1835, and Joseph 1837. John came to St. a great grandson of Emaline and Joseph. Jack Spencer of
Anthony(Minneapolis)in 1847 and worked on the dam at the Clearwater is a great grandson of Charles and Libbie. Pam
falls. He returned to Maine in the spring of 1848 and returned Konvicka,a great great granddaughter of Charles and Libbie,
to St. Anthony in 1849. In the 1850 Territorial census for St. has shared a great deal of information about Belinda. There
Anthony, his family appears as John McDonough, age 45, must be many more who have not been identified.
Sylpa(Zilpah)age 46, Lewis age 16,and Joseph age 14. Belinda, the brave pioneer woman, provided her children
John has been identified as the first permanent settler in the opportunity to acquire land and raise families in Otsego.
Wright County. He arrived July 31, 1852, and is listed in the She lived to age 81 years,11 months and six days and now rests
1855 census with a family of four males and one female.John in the historic Otsego Cemetery.....
and Belinda filed claims for adjacent
land in section 17 (the old town hall
1 area)on June 19,1856.Itis evident that
the widow Belinda came to Otsego William Davis Nathaniel Spencer
b. 1770
Samuel Marsh Peletiah McDonald
with her sister and brother in law. She m 1787
must have been a strong, courageous Betsey ? Jane Oliver Dorcas Stewart
woman to travel all the way from b. 1776 1786-187
Maine.
The 1857 census lists Belinda, .' Richard m 1819 Hannah .Zilpah(2) 'John •
]
Charles (identified as a farmer), and 1797-1880 1800-1879 1804-1883 m 1841 1807-1887
Martin next door to Lewis McDonald, r I Mary Inman(1)
wife Climena, and son George. Lewis Ephraim m 1834 BELINDA m 1828
and Climena were married in 1856 by b 1806 1809-1891
O.H. Kelly,Justice of the Peace.John
Joseph m 1853 Emetine
McDonald's family is listed nearby. C 1825-1906 1835-1914
I
fClemina m 1856 Lewis
Otsego Heritage Day l 1843-1914 1833-1918
The Heritage Preservation Commission held their third annual e I •
Heritage Day on Sunday, October 5th. Attendance was excellent in Charles
spite of the beautiful weather which attracted people outdoors. People 1841-1914
Libbie Slater-Richardson Belinda
spent time at lunch,visiting,reminiscing,and observing the exhibits of 1847-1921
pictures, maps, books, and other documents collected by the I Spencer's
Commission.The new book The Otsego Cemetery- 1854 to 1996 was 'Martin Family
and is now available at City Hall.The book Otsego -In the 1848-1896
Beginning sold out and is being reprinted.w.. Joseph Lacard
3
1
KB Video opens
-.N.,-- � i n Otsego
,/ ,. `. KB Video co-owner/manager
fir
Brian Brehmer thinks their new store
�it is the"nicest video store ever."
' KB Video is located at the
gin,
„ gT; intersection of Highway 101 and
Al
,� . 4 , 0 County Road 42 in Otsego. The store
d.._ occupies the former Clem's Seafood
g� space in the F&F gas station complex,
R ` , '" so there is plentyof room for their
/ .1
t , 1 , i i � 8 wide selection of over five thousand
' s =t ` 0 ; titles for rent. Besides videos, KB has
' ` " i"' games for Nintendo 64, Sony Play
A Station,and Sega Genesis.
r. KB Video offers special rates for
' )7 .' 1, general release titles,including two for
_r, $.99 Monday through Thursday and
three general titles for three days for
� ` • ) $3.00. Tuesday's special is two for
y
F one. Games can be rented for two
KB Video cashier Laurie Augustson shows off some of the more than five thousand titles days and new releases overnight..A,,.,
available for rent.
/+ Snow removal ahead Park & Rec
The Otsego city is not responsible for damaged changing meeting
maintenance mailboxes. Properly mounted boxes The Otsego Park and Recreation
department has allow plow blades to pass under them Commission will be changing its regular
mounted the and do not extend over the pavement. monthly meeting to the second
Wednesda of the month at 7:00 m.
plows and The Maintenance Department y P
stocked the sand for the winter plowing would like everyone to drive safely b11
eginning January 14, 1998.
season. The city snow removal policy is during snow removal. Give the plows The public is welcome and invited to
attend the Park and Rec Commission
that the plows do not begin plowing plenty of room as flying snow often
meetings as well as all other city
until it stops snowing. They begin with reduces visibility for operators..,.,. commission and council meetings..,.,
the most heavily used city streets first.
They try to make an initial pass, then
return later to clean up the shoulders, CITY MEETINGS
intersections,and cul de sacs.
The Otsego Maintenance MEETING DAYS TIME
Department is responsible for city City Council 2nd & 4th Mondays 6:30 p.m.
streets, but all county roads are done by Planning & Zoning Commission 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 8:00 p.m.
Wright County and Highway 101 is Parks & Rec Commission 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m.
maintained by the Minnesota (2nd Wed. beginning in Jan.)
Department of Transportation. EDA Advisory Commission 1st Monday 7:00 p.m.
Residents should place garbage cans Heritage Preservation Commission 4th Thursday 7:00 p.m.
and recycling bins in their driveways ,• Submit City Council agenda items seven working days prior to meetings.
instead of the street. Vehicles should be • To be placed on the Planning Commission agenda, submit completed
parked off the street. forms & information 15 working days prior to meetings.
The postal service will not deliver • Official meeting notices are published in the Elk River Star News and
mail to obstructed boxes, so residents posted at City Hall.
need to clear their own mailboxes. The • Please call City Hall to confirm times if you plan to attend.
city is not responsible for damaged 4